SOUTH BEND FOODIE TRAIL LOCAL HARVEST · purchases from local vendors like Hovenkamp’s. For 62 years, the family-run operation has sold produce at the century-old South Bend Farmers

FRESH FROM THE VINE green beans and juicy tomatoes, plus other in-season vegetables starring on the menu come from the local farmers market. Shopping for veggies prior to opening the restaurant is almost a daily ritual for Chef Matthew. He purchases locally when possible from vendors like Hovenkamp’s Produce. The family-run operation has been selling their produce at the century-old market since 1952. The market is open four days a week (Tuesday or Thursday through Saturday) from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

LOCAL HARVEST

10 top destinations from around the region

SOUTH BEND FOODIE TRAILMore traditional than trendy, South Bend and its neighboring towns welcome visitors to come break bread. Sharing a meal here goes beyond the norm. When you dine at these 10 top destinations, you forge new partnerships—with the people sitting next to you, the farmer or rancher who raised the food and the grandfather who created the recipes. When you open a restaurant door in South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger and New Carlisle, you open the door to possibilities. Come explore.

FROM THE EDITORS OF ®

Asian fusion, sushi and more at Zing.

The Word of Life mural on Notre Dame’s campus.

Share small plates with friends at Temper Grille.

CAFE NAVARREFRESH-FROM-farmers-market green beans and juicy tomatoes, plus other in-season veggies, star on Cafe Navarre’s menu. Shopping for produce prior to opening the restaurant is almost a daily ritual for chef Matthew Jay during the summer. When possible, he purchases from local vendors like Hovenkamp’s. For 62 years, the family-run operation has sold produce at the century-old South Bend Farmers Market.

LOCAL HARVESTBar and Restaurant

1 01 NORTH MICHIGAN STREET SOUTH BEND (574) 968-8101 CAFENAVARRE.CO

Open just over two years, this swanky restaurant operates as smoothly as the century-old clock tower outside this former bank building’s entrance. Under the original barrel-vaulted ceiling, clockwork-efficient servers hustle trays of classic dishes such as roast chicken, duck two-ways and filet mignon from the kitchen to the dining areas on the main floor and mezzanine. On the main floor, a granite bar anchors an exterior wall filled with ornate curved two-story windows. The vintage yet modern setting is often packed, and reservations are a must on weekends. Start the evening with a bottle of wine and appetizers like market oysters, crispy pork belly or a poached egg. A side of crusty bread lets customers sop up every drop of the seafood-laden Basque stew. Still hungry? Fresh blackberries garnish crème brûlée.

Owner George Pesek covers the entire range of farm-to-table. He owns the bison farm that supplies the restaurant with meat, raises free-range chickens for eggs and recycles cooking oils to power his farm equipment. The earthy vibe continues in his restaurant with natural colors, repurposed barn beams and rugged stone walls. Though the restaurant seats more than 200, it feels intimate because of the separate dining rooms and cozy booths. Hand-hammered copper binders encase the menu featuring the ever-changing meat-and-veggie Sword of John Adams: An actual sword piercing hunks of meat, such as half a rotisserie chicken, generous ribeye and house-made bratwurst (below left). Chalkboard specials feature seasonal ingredients from nearby farms and orchards used in pastas and salads.

CORNDANCE stems from the Native American tradition of giving thanks to the Great Spirit for bountiful harvests. Native Americans were known for being resourceful. Owner George Pesek has a similar philosophy. When possible, he uses natural materials and ingredients. He raises bison and Berkshire pigs on his farm, Rooster Hill; produce grows on nearby farms and orchards; stones and repurposed beams add to the decor. The pigs eat grains from Evil Czech Brewery, one of his properties, which supplies the beer.

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

4725 GRAPE ROAD MISHAWAKA (574) 217-7584 MISHAWAKA.CORNDANCE.COM

CORNDANCE TAVERN

Two guys play cards, college students tap on laptop keyboards, and a group of moms chat while their boys strategize board-game moves. These groups occupy scarred wood tables that seat 12 or more and stretch half the length of the room. Food is the unifying force at this casual Celtic-style eatery. The daily South Bend Tribune wraps fish and chips, and other traditional Irish entrees include bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, and steak and Guinness pie with a flaky puff-pastry lid. Sides include mashed potatoes or veggies like garlic-steamed kale that’s crunchy (and not bitter) or Amaretto-glazed carrots. On tap, choose local favorites such as Three Floyds and Bell’s plus the usual suspects: Guinness, Harp and Smithwick’s. Up for a dram? There’s a wide selection of whiskeys, bourbons and single malts.

FIDDLER’S HEARTHCOMMUNITY TABLES encourage diners at Fiddler’s Hearth to sit next to strangers—who soon introduce themselves and end up chatting over dinner. It’s reminiscent of a public house like those found across the pond. Here in South Bend, the staff welcomes guests to linger. Free Wi-Fi and a stash of board games entice guests to stay. On stage, near nightly live entertainment features local artists performing traditional and Irish rock, plus folk.

GATHERING SPOT

127 NORTH MAIN STREET SOUTH BEND (574) 232-2853 FIDDLERSHEARTH.COM

Public House

Look up from the work of art on your plate to appreciate the high ceilings, neoclassical columns and fine art from local and national artists adorning this former lobby of the 1868 St. Joseph Hotel. Here in the main dining room, chef Tom Sheridan serves traditional chophouse cuisine elevated with the finest ingredients, such as kurobuta pork (from Berkshire pigs), and regional favorites like Indiana duck and Amish chicken. Steamed mussels in fennel broth and a wedge salad with warm Roquefort lead to the main course. If nothing from the suggested wine pairings appeals, ask the steward—though the menu features 350 bottles, it’s just over 10 percent of the cellar capacity. End with a crème brûlée spiked with Grand Marnier, and you’ll agree that this spot deserves its 18 years with a AAA Four-Diamond rating.

LASALLE GRILLTHE RUSTIC LOFT invites a casual crowd into its fold, but they get the same high-quality food and service at LaSalle Kitchen and Tavern, the third-floor gastropub. It focuses on comfort food with a twist. There’s mac and cheese—with crawfish—in a cast-iron pot and succulent short ribs with from-scratch pappardelle pasta. Choose from 30 craft beers and more than 120 whiskeys and scotches.

UPSTAIRS/DOWNSTAIRS

115 WEST COLFAX AVENUE SOUTH BEND (574) 288-1155 LASALLEGRILL.COM

Waitresses wearing dirndls help newcomers navigate (and pronounce) dishes such as jaegerschnitzel, schlemmerpfandl and zigeunerschnitzel on the schnitzel menu. For patrons unfamiliar with German-Austrian cuisine, schnitzel is a fillet pounded flat, breaded, and fried or sauteed (right). Each kind comes with spaetzle (a delicate drop noodle), purple cabbage with a hint of vinegar, swirl rye bread and from-scratch olive spread at dinner. Chef-owner Werner Moser’s pride shows in his chatting with customers and in what he serves. Beef and pork tips cook long and slow with onions, garlic and paprika for Austrian Gulasch, a traditional favorite. Though this restaurant relies on the Old Country for its recipes and atmosphere, it’s anything but old-fashioned when it comes to paying the bill. Check a tip-percentage box and sign with a finger swipe on a tablet.

FAMILY-OWNED AUSTRIAN brewery Stieglbrauerei has been brewing Steigel since 1492, the same year Christopher Columbus discovered America. Five centuries later, the popular beer from Salzburg is made with the same ingredients: pure spring water from the Alps, hops, barley and a few secret ingredients. Find the golden pilsner on tap at Moser’s Austrian Cafe, where customer’s steins hang on the wall.

1492, A YEAR OF DISCOVERY

127 EAST MICHIGAN STREET NEW CARLISLE (574) 654-0086 MOSERSAUSTRIANCAFE.COM

MOSER’SAustrian Cafe

From the moment you hand your keys to the valet to when you are handed back your coat, expect to be pampered at this on-campus restaurant in the Morris Inn. The fine-dining restaurant exudes class with its French-inspired furnishings and hand-painted murals depicting the history of University of Notre Dame. Since a recent remodel, the decor is fresh and formal, with both straight-back upholstered chairs and booths and floor-to-ceiling windows. Knowledgeable servers in crisp button-down shirts, necktie, vest and grey pants rattle off area farm sources. The lunch and dinner menus differ, but each emphasizes the new addition of fresh seafood. Locally raised and lightly sautéed perch comes on a bed of creamy risotto with marinated artichokes, tomato and feta. The eight-page wine menu denotes alumni’s wineries with the Fighting Irish™ logo.

SORIN’SNOT MUCH OLDER than a graduate student, 28-year-old Rev. Sorin and seven Catholic brothers set out from New York in the winter of 1842 to establish a college in Indiana. Tromping through snow, the priests arrived at St. Mary of the Lake, the future home of Notre Dame. Today, more than 12,000 undergrad and graduate students attend the prestigious university. The parklike campus fills 1,250 acres with Gothic-style buildings and ivy-covered walls.

FOUNDING FATHER

1399 NORTH NOTRE DAME AVENUE NOTRE DAME (574) 631-2020 SORINSRESTAURANT.COM

Orange and red flames burst from sizzling saganaki (fried cheese), one of many small-plate options on the menu at this 21-and-older tapas restaurant. Spaniards introduced the concept of sharing savory dishes of food. Follow their lead, but start with wine. The menu organizes it into easy-to-understand categories, such as fruity, sensual, crisp and refreshing. The same goes for the tapas menu: hot, cold, surf and turf. The small kitchen sends out dishes as time and space allow. The specialty of mini steak chimis pleases every crowd, and the duck bites provide some heat. Dig in. There’s enough food on each plate to easily feed two, but keep a menu to order more. Chef Sean Kelley has no pretensions about the food, atmosphere or dishware. His philosophy: Life is too short, so be happy, drink wine and indulge. And think of chipped dishes as character.

TEMPER GRILLEFRUIT FLIES DIVE-BOMBING sweet wines led Spanish bartenders to hand out thin slices of bread or pork. The lid or cover, which translates to tapa, kept out the pesky insects, but the saltiness of the ham made patrons thirstier. Restaurateurs put the ideas together and began serving small plates of food to drinking customers. The snacks bridged the gap until dinner, which often starts as late as 9 p.m. in Europe. Here, combine enough to make a meal.

WHO KNEW?

1213 EAST UNIVERSITY DRIVE GRANGER (574) 273-0443 TEMPERGRILLE.COM

Refuel for fun in the Eddy Street Commons entertainment district at locally owned The Mark. On the lunch menu, comfort foods like meat loaf, mac and cheese, liver and onions, brisket and pot pie dominate. Ditto for burgers—made from fresh-ground sirloin—and sandwiches, which come on ciabatta from nearby Bit of Swiss Bakery. The menu becomes elaborate at dinner with steamed mussels in a creamy sauce of tomato, white wine and basil with crispy pancetta on top. Entrees include braised rack of lamb and pan-seared red snapper. The drink menu, bound in black leather, intrigues with creative liquor combinations and names such as Three Pipe Problem, the Corpse Reviver or Horse’s Neck. For dessert, choose one of the just-made cakes; they are so big that they barely fit in the glass-domed cake stands.

THE MARKPOP MUSIC serenades visitors browsing Eddy Street Commons. The urban entertainment district encompasses two blocks across from Notre Dame Stadium. Park on the street or in the garage, which is free for one hour. That’s enough time to start exploring überpopular Urban Outfitters and unique shops like Outpost Sports. Besides The Mark Dine and Tap, eateries include a pizza place and deli; or grab a coffee at Romy’s Cafe inside Hammes Bookstore.

EAT, SHOP, PLAYDine and Tap

1234 NORTH EDDY STREET SOUTH BEND (574) 204-2767 THEMARKDINEANDTAP.COM

This family-run bakery still uses the original recipes for glazed French crullers, apricot bars, apple turnovers and a variety of cookies and cakes. The baking is done for the day by midmorning, and regulars know to arrive by 7 a.m. for the best selection. The lack of seating, coffee and Wi-Fi doesn’t stop locals from coming, so no matter what time you arrive, there will probably be a line at this no-frills bakery. Once-a-week specialties include Thursdays’ horns with sweet vanilla cream filling. Expect rarities like Mastellan rolls (Belgian buns) and cream books with a puff pastry base and layer of icing on Saturday. Go ahead, fill a white paper sack; the price is right: Most doughnuts cost 60 cents, turnovers $1.

WEST END BAKERYIT’S 1:30 A.M. when head baker and owner Greg Fobe arrives at the tiny bakery in the Belgian district on the west side of town. His grandpa, Adolph Fobe began the bakery in 1928. Since then, generations of customers have come for pastries, breads, special-occasion cakes and once-a-week favorites. Keeping the front counter staff on their toes is Greg’s stepmother, Odette.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

414 WEST 7TH STREET MISHAWAKA (574) 255-1267 FIND US ON FACEBOOK.COM

Representative photos: actual products may vary.

Each dish looks as good as it tastes. Bright strands of carrot, fresh orchids and intricate roses cut from radishes garnish each dish. Even a simple order of dim sum (steamed or fried dumplings) becomes a work of art when paired with scallion pancakes cut into triangles stacked like dominoes. An enthusiastic staff and easy-to-follow menu make ordering easy. Top-selling sushi roll Angel Hair gets its name from strands of crabmeat with masago (tiny fish eggs) glittering on top. Specialty rolls include familiars like Spider and Rainbow, traditional Red Dragon, and deep-fried ones such as OMG Wasabi, Gazilla and Fish Lover. For Asian-fusion, try Pineapple You-Tell Shrimp, a delicious house specialty with warm pineapple stir fry. Side sauces go beyond the norm with eel, spicy mayo, honey wasabi and mango.

ZINGBECOMING A SUSHI CHEF takes talent, a good teacher and two to three years of training. During this time, chefs in training learn how to cook rice and select, cut and prepare different types of fish. Higher-level chefs work with sashimi (raw fish). At Zing, the most difficult dishes—the Bridge or Boat (left)—include a variety of sushi and sashimi, plus a radish carved into a rose. Plate decor often includes orchids, banana leaves and leaf-shape wasabi.

CREATIVE CONCEPTS

206 NORTH MAIN STREET MISHAWAKA (574) 259-8888 HAPPYZING.COM

Japanese Fusion